Latest / Skin Anarchy / Alicia Grande, Founder and CEO of Grande Cosmetics

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Alicia Grande, Founder and CEO of Grande Cosmetics · Skin Anarchy

• 0:00
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• 0:55
  SPEAKER_03: I'm so excited to introduce you to our guest today because her line of cosmetics is truly phenomenal.
• 1:02
  SPEAKER_03: It's a very fun, but you know, high quality, great, like to the point, you know, way of approaching makeup.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_03: So without further ado, I want to introduce you guys to Alicia Grande, who is the founder of Grande Cosmetics.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_03: Welcome to the show, Alicia.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_03: Thank you so much for your time and willingness to come onto the show.
• 1:20
  SPEAKER_02: Of course.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_02: I always like to talk about, you know, why I made these products and how they are game-changing products.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_02: So I'm super excited to be here and um share that with your audience.
• 1:34
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, and I I would love to dive in because I have a lot of feedback for you.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_03: All good, by the way, because I've uh tried the products, uh quite a few of them, and I'm just every time I try new one, I'm like, ooh, you know, it like brings you back to that place you were as a younger girl where you're like, oh, this is working really well, you know, let me play with this.
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_03: So I have a lot of personal stories that I don't have to rave about, but I want to get started with you and your journey and really how you ended up in the beauty space, the cosmetic space.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_03: Um, you know, what was the whole backstory of that?
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_03: If you could share this.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_02: So now I'm gonna, I'm gonna, you know, give you some real dates.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so I'm 52 now, right?
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_02: So I started when I was 16 years old in cosmetics in a flea market booth in Rockland County, New York, which is around like a half an hour from New York City, where I used to sell like private label cosmetics, skincare, fragrance to um people in the Rockland County area.
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_02: And they would, you know, I I loved it because I was able to really help advise women, transform them.
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_02: So that was my first entree, if you will, into cosmetics, fragrance, and skincare, and just making people feel like great about themselves.
• 2:51
  SPEAKER_02: So I knew that that from a young age, that was like something that I really loved.
• 2:58
  SPEAKER_02: And my mother was also um, by the way, divorced and and had put herself through college and then and then went into cosmetics at um a lot of department stores and management.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_02: So I learned a lot from her as well.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_02: And because I was obsessed with like skincare, cosmetics, and beauty, I winded up doing a radio show called The Health Buzz, where I featured like doctors and scientists on the latest and greatest innovations, and I was able to find this product that really, you know, back in 2006 that like completely transformed my lashes.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_02: And this was by a doctor and a scientist who created it, and um I was so skeptical, you know, because no one was talking about that then.
• 3:49
  SPEAKER_02: And when I used it, like people thought I had false eyelashes.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_02: It was a complete game changer, right?
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, my husband who notices nothing, he turned to me and he's like, Wait, what did you do to your lashes?
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_02: Do you have false lashes on?
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_02: And so it was like I just was getting that question all the time.
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_02: My friends would see it.
• 4:15
  SPEAKER_02: What did you do?
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_02: And so I really was because I had a background also in marketing, went to college for marketing.
• 4:23
  SPEAKER_02: Um I said, Oh my god, with the last name Grande, you know, this has to be mine.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_02: I have to make this mine.
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_02: Every woman in the United States and globally need to be able to reach their full lash potential.
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_02: And I want to help them.
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_02: And um so that's what really started my journey with with Granny Lash MD.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_02: I I rounded up my like last$25,000 and was able to negotiate a deal with the doctor and scientist who created the product.
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_02: And um, I was able to make it under my name.
• 5:00
  SPEAKER_02: And then I basically went out to all the trade shows and uh two professionals, salon and spa and makeup shows and sold onesies to everyone because no one knew about the product.
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_02: And then when they used it, they were like, wait a minute, this actually works.
• 5:17
  SPEAKER_02: It's you know, because like you were saying before, Eckad, like there's so many products that say they're going to work and you're like waiting and waiting and then they don't work.
• 5:27
  SPEAKER_02: So we're so used to being disappointed that you know, even yeah, even on like products that cost a lot of money.
• 5:35
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and you're like, wait a minute, I just spent$300 on that cream and like I don't really see a difference.
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, that I'm not in the business to do that.
• 5:44
  SPEAKER_02: That's just not who I am.
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_02: I I I came from really humble background.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_02: I had to, you know, put myself through college, help pay my pay rent to my mother, you know, all of these things.
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_02: So I understand the value and money, and and and I that's the last thing I want to do is um, you know, take money from women once and and then they don't want to purchase again.
• 6:07
  SPEAKER_02: No, that's just that's not how I roll.
• 6:10
  SPEAKER_02: No.
• 6:10
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, yeah.
• 6:11
  SPEAKER_03: No, I know, and you know, honestly, you know, it comes through.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_03: I I can honestly say that to you as a consumer, as somebody I approach every brand that I interview here, like as if I'm completely just someone who's absolutely never learned about it, you know what I mean?
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_03: And I and I really try my very best to come into that consumer role where I'm testing the product from this standpoint of I'm somebody who's never used something like this before.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_03: So what's my wow factor gonna be once I use the product, right?
• 6:42
  SPEAKER_03: Like people talk about instant results, but it's not instant results, it's more of the experience.
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_03: You know, it's the experience, it's the ease of use, especially with makeup.
• 6:50
  SPEAKER_03: You know, if you put on a blush and it's so pigmented that it makes you feel like a clown at the end of the day looking at yourself, that's gonna deter you from using that blush again.
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_03: You know what I mean?
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_03: So, like that experience is I think what Grande Cosmetics has really nailed because the products are very easy to use.
• 7:08
  SPEAKER_03: Like, for example, I'll tell you your plumping blush is oh my gosh, not only is the color I'm referring to my perfect nude color for my lips, but it shows up so beautifully on my cheeks.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_03: And so just what color are you using?
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_03: Is it the mobs?
• 7:25
  SPEAKER_03: I don't know with me, but it's like a peachy, it's a mauve, it's like a mauvey color.
• 7:29
  SPEAKER_02: It's the mopsicle.
• 7:31
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 7:31
  SPEAKER_02: I yeah, because I it's funny, I didn't market that product to go on your lips, and I've and and it's not that it couldn't, and it's funny because I'm noticing a lot of other brands are saying, you know, lip at cheek and lip, and I'm I'm thinking about remarketing that.
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_02: So that's that's interesting that you're telling me.
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_03: No, it's really, I'm telling you, it's very good.
• 7:53
  SPEAKER_03: And I'm somebody who like I kind of like there's you know, we all have our things in beauty, right?
• 7:59
  SPEAKER_03: That we really, really know about.
• 8:00
  SPEAKER_03: There's three things I really, really know about, and that is a dark enough mascara for dark brown eyes, a dark enough eyeliner, like a liquid eyeliner for dark brown eyes to pop, and a nude lipstick, lip gloss, and blush.
• 8:16
  SPEAKER_03: Like those things, like those are my they've been my focus, you know what I mean, throughout my whole like beauty journey through my life.
• 8:22
  SPEAKER_03: So I can tell you like when I tried your blush, um, and I believe the color was it was that it's that right in the middle color.
• 8:30
  SPEAKER_02: Like you've got like um we have sweet peach peachy, we have sweet peach, could be sweet peach, and then we have obstacle, then we have a cinnamon, uh, you know, we I launched that product, grande um pop, like right in the in in in the middle of COVID, you know, and it went on Ulta and then you know they did an RTV because return to vendor because um it it you know people weren't wearing these things under the mask, right?
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_02: So yeah, it just didn't have its its its uh worthwhile debut because it was launched at an inappropriate time, right?
• 9:08
  SPEAKER_02: So um that's one of the the things that I'm thinking about really going back at, like remarketing after COVID.
• 9:16
  SPEAKER_03: Well, it's just a standout formulation, though.
• 9:18
  SPEAKER_03: I just want to say, you know, I'm I'm excited to see what you if you want to change it up.
• 9:23
  SPEAKER_03: But I'm you know, for everyone listening out there, if you go on to grandecosmetics.com and then you go to shop and you go to the skin section and click on plumping blush.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_03: That's the product I'm talking about.
• 9:37
  SPEAKER_03: And the colors we were just discussing are the it's the second lightest and the one in the middle, which is the peach.
• 9:43
  SPEAKER_03: And those, and the reason I'm just I'm emphasizing this is this product, it's like an example of what I'm trying to say is that it really works and it makes you feel like when we're we're living in this industry now where everyone wants to feel more naturally beautiful, right?
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_03: We don't want to focus on skincare so much.
• 9:59
  SPEAKER_03: Like everyone's coming out with a skincare brand, everyone's promoting, you know, fix your skin first, don't pile on makeup.
• 10:06
  SPEAKER_03: Well, at the end of the day, if you're gonna spend a lot of time on skincare, try to use makeup that is like, you know what I mean, like minimalistic, but it still brings out the stuff that you need it to bring out.
• 10:15
  SPEAKER_03: And that's actually leading me to your to wanting to pick your brain about how you did color shades because all of your colors are very usable.
• 10:25
  SPEAKER_03: And I really, but your packaging and your branding is so bright.
• 10:28
  SPEAKER_03: So it's like, I want to know about this, right?
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_03: How did this go down?
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_02: So that's funny.
• 10:33
  SPEAKER_02: So, so grande pop, how did we pick the colors?
• 10:37
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, I have a team at and at Grande Cosmetics of 50 women, so you know, we really and all different ethnicities.
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_02: So we we um were testing and then comparing, also, of course, to other popular colors that you know well-known manufacturers are using as the bar.
• 10:57
  SPEAKER_02: So there's a couple of things that that you know weighed into that.
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_02: But what made me make that formula and go into color when I'm best known for, you know, enhancing your own natural lashes, enhancing your brows, then I crossed over to color was you know, not such so completely well received right away from some of my brand partners.
• 11:20
  SPEAKER_02: Um but I'm glad that you love it.
• 11:22
  SPEAKER_02: But yeah, so that's how we we picked it.
• 11:25
  SPEAKER_02: And again, it is a great formula because not only does it, you know, give you that dewy popped cheek look, but it actually has an ingredient called bin up lift, which is an ingredient that is derived from the Swiss Alps.
• 11:41
  SPEAKER_02: It's it's like frozen pycnogenal grapes that really help to help the vasodilation to in your in your cheeks to give you a little bit more of a plump.
• 11:53
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, it's not like one of the lip.
• 11:58
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, yeah.
• 11:59
  SPEAKER_02: A natural, like a little enhancement.
• 12:01
  SPEAKER_02: So I'm always using these like really amazing ingredients that um are if if if I'm making like for an example a mascara, which I was gonna talk about, like I have a new mascara that is called Grande Fanatic, and that's exclusive at Ulta right now.
• 12:19
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but it has an ingredient called Y lash in it that really locks in your lashes so you have less lash fallout, like it anchors in your lashes.
• 12:30
  SPEAKER_02: It also helps to condition your lashes, and we did a study on 35 participants where we, you know, have before and after pictures, it's a legitimate study.
• 12:39
  SPEAKER_02: And we were able to prove out that not only is this mascara like fanatic, lengthening and thickening, and like really thickening um and curling and fanning and and all of that, but it actually helps to promote your own natural lashes without mascara to be enhanced.
• 12:58
  SPEAKER_02: So you know, you're not just yeah, you're not just so any mascara actually that you get from grande has um, and we have four mascaras right now.
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_02: Our original grande mascara, then we launched um grande drama, which is with castor oil, and the original has uh Mr.
• 13:18
  SPEAKER_02: It's like I could get into all the ingredients, but there's a lot of different mascaras that we have, and because not every lashes, not all lashes are the same, so you have different brushes for different types of people, and you know, people want different looks, so that's why we created um you know a lot of different mascaras, but they all have lash-enhancing benefits.
• 13:40
  SPEAKER_03: So I love that, and I love that you have unique like ingredients because honestly, like beauty is a space that I think um it is embracing skincare, but I think it needs to embrace it in a much more integrative way, which what is basically what you described, which is you're working with ingredients that are giving you there's a purpose for them, you know.
• 14:01
  SPEAKER_03: Makeup is no longer just makeup, makeup is a it's your second layer skin.
• 14:05
  SPEAKER_03: So let's treat it like the way we treat skincare as well.
• 14:08
  SPEAKER_03: You know what I mean?
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_03: Like there's nutrients in there, there's things in there that really enhance your skin because that's going back to the essence of why we even wear makeup, you know.
• 14:17
  SPEAKER_03: So it's no for sure.
• 14:20
  SPEAKER_03: It's cool to see a company that that sticks to that idea because I think there's very little of that.
• 14:26
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I mean, I I definitely see that there are some, you know, companies that are enhancing their, you know, I look at like a company like It Cosmetics or Thrive, they see they seem to do that, but I think where grande really wins is that um we're really lash focused.
• 14:44
  SPEAKER_02: Um so people do because of Grande Lash and the, you know, we are right now, Grande Lash and Grande Brow, come uh according to MPD data, which is you know highly regarded in the industry as accurate data, that grande uh lash and grande brow are the number one lash and brow serum in the United States of America, like to date and for a c for a person who started their company with$25,000 in a dream, you know, to get to this place right now.
• 15:18
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, it's it's it's huge.
• 15:20
  SPEAKER_02: I just gotta pinch thank you.
• 15:22
  SPEAKER_02: I I just gotta pinch myself.
• 15:24
  SPEAKER_02: And I mean, just so many people have been using my product everywhere I go, and and they're they're talking about it and and they love it and they're they're so happy about their lashes and their brows, and they're always telling me their story, and I'm like, oh my god, this is amazing.
• 15:39
  SPEAKER_03: And so Yeah, I mean, here's the thing though, honestly, Alicia, like not to interrupt you, but here's the thing that I my thought on beauty, you know, I think that with all of the luxury brands that are out there and all of the brands that are like super heavy on their packaging, their aesthetic, their look.
• 15:56
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, don't get me wrong, it's important.
• 15:58
  SPEAKER_03: I love a beautiful product, but that ease of use aspect is what hooks.
• 16:03
  SPEAKER_03: I can honestly say, you and I'm sure you know this way better than I do.
• 16:07
  SPEAKER_03: It hooks the customer.
• 16:09
  SPEAKER_03: So, like, you know, I used your blush as an example for that reason alone, is that immediately when I used it, I put it in my makeup bag.
• 16:17
  SPEAKER_03: And I even actually had made a reel that night showing people, like, you know, what's in my makeup bag?
• 16:21
  SPEAKER_03: What are go-to items?
• 16:23
  SPEAKER_03: And I immediately became a go-to item.
• 16:25
  SPEAKER_03: And so the the it's not just about consumerism, right?
• 16:29
  SPEAKER_03: It's about like this idea of like when you immediately use a product and you're like, perfect.
• 16:35
  SPEAKER_03: This is gonna work for me.
• 16:36
  SPEAKER_03: This is gonna do what I needed to do, putting it in my makeup bag.
• 16:40
  SPEAKER_03: That's I think truly filling a white space.
• 16:44
  SPEAKER_03: You know what I'm saying?
• 16:45
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and yeah, not making just me too, right?
• 16:48
  SPEAKER_02: Like it's it's it's I don't wanna, you know, I can't compete with like Clinique or Essay Lord, and I nor do I want to, right?
• 16:56
  SPEAKER_02: I I I really need to make things that are like innovative, um, functional cosmetics, performance type cosmetics.
• 17:04
  SPEAKER_02: So I'm still working on um becoming successful in the color arena.
• 17:12
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm I'm taking mascara out of that, but like, you know, like even like lips.
• 17:17
  SPEAKER_02: I have um lip plumpers that have a lot of reviews and are good, but it's just um, you know, when everyone thinks of grande lash, grande, they think of grande lash, grande brow, and sometimes it's like you get pigeonholed into that.
• 17:34
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, I'm not complaining because it's no, no, no, but you bring up a really, really good point and a very central point to a very big conversation, which is, you know, if a brand is creating, so we're focusing on grande lash, right?
• 17:47
  SPEAKER_03: And it obviously it did what it said it was gonna do.
• 17:51
  SPEAKER_03: The industry recognized it, the consumers recognize it, everybody seeing that this product is delivering exactly what we want it to deliver.
• 18:00
  SPEAKER_03: Now, how can you say that about a brand, even if it's that one product you're talking about, and then not look and promote all the other ones?
• 18:09
  SPEAKER_03: Because most likely they also put in that founder also put in the same amount of thought into anything they created, right?
• 18:17
  SPEAKER_03: So it's like that's where I get stuck because when you brought up, for example, Clinique and like these really, really, really big companies that are really known for their, you know, their products, that's wonderful.
• 18:28
  SPEAKER_03: But what I what I want to stress to consumers is it's not just about appearances.
• 18:35
  SPEAKER_03: You really at this point in the beauty industry and at where we are right now is just being more educated consumers, you have to do the trial and error test now, more than ever.
• 18:45
  SPEAKER_03: You know what I mean?
• 18:46
  SPEAKER_03: So like calling something your holy grail means something totally different now than it meant in the 60s or the 70s, because there were not even that many options, obviously.
• 18:56
  SPEAKER_03: And but more importantly, the the technology wasn't there.
• 19:00
  SPEAKER_03: So it's also about finding the right technology, you know what I mean, that a brand is using to fit with your lifestyle and what you so it's it's just this these layers.
• 19:08
  SPEAKER_03: And that's why I brought it up because I think, you know, when I'm raving about your brand, when I'm saying I really love your product, it's because it's covering um or it's you know, it's fixing a lot of the problems I feel as the consumer that I need fixed.
• 19:21
  SPEAKER_03: You know what I mean?
• 19:22
  SPEAKER_02: So if you're yeah, well, you well, like as you brought up before, is that you know, people are they're really concerned about their skin.
• 19:29
  SPEAKER_02: Skin care has, you know, has exponential growth in uh 2021.
• 19:35
  SPEAKER_02: So did you know prestige hair care, right?
• 19:39
  SPEAKER_02: Um so people are really concerned about their wellness.
• 19:45
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and I'm making products that even though they're in the cosmetic category, but like my hero, holy grail product, like granny lash, is really a game changer and it's enhancing your own natural features.
• 20:00
  SPEAKER_02: So you feel better about yourself.
• 20:02
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, if I can give a woman um more confidence when they wake up and they walk out the door that they feel better and someone says to them, Oh my god, I love your lashes, right?
• 20:16
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah.
• 20:18
  SPEAKER_02: Or I love your brows, right?
• 20:19
  SPEAKER_02: Or your hair looks thicker.
• 20:21
  SPEAKER_02: It's like, you know, oh my god.
• 20:24
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, those that that's that's just like, you know, that is amazing.
• 20:28
  SPEAKER_02: I can't get enough of hearing that from people.
• 20:32
  SPEAKER_02: Um so I I just feel so fortunate that I I I literally did really stumble upon this this formula with that in when I was actually I was at the um ICESC, which is a big spa show in in New York City back in 2006.
• 20:50
  SPEAKER_02: I was walking up and down the aisles and like I was like, oh my god, if someone talks about how they're gonna remove my wrinkles with that this skincare or that skincare, I just felt like everything sounded generic and the same.
• 21:04
  SPEAKER_02: And then the lashes, I mean, I didn't even know that you can enhance.
• 21:11
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, people know very little about this.
• 21:13
  SPEAKER_03: Is this why it's even more important because you know, when it comes to like skin, right?
• 21:18
  SPEAKER_03: We know so much at this point.
• 21:20
  SPEAKER_03: There's so much stuff out there.
• 21:21
  SPEAKER_03: Influencers are jumping on it.
• 21:23
  SPEAKER_03: We're talking about facial skin, you know, the neck, the body, even body skin care is like blowing up right now.
• 21:30
  SPEAKER_03: But optometry is still that field in both the beauty space and the medical space that we don't really talk about.
• 21:38
  SPEAKER_03: Like, you know what I mean?
• 21:39
  SPEAKER_03: We all want a mascara, we all want a good eyeliner, but no one brings up like the real questions.
• 21:46
  SPEAKER_03: I feel like at least, you know, when I look at the reviews and the things people look for in a good mascara because you know, you know, as you're buying a product, you go through the reviews, right?
• 21:55
  SPEAKER_03: Trying to find that person who's addressing the issue that you're really looking to cover.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_03: So, you know, what I notice is that yeah, somebody overview a mascara and they're like, this worked really well for me.
• 22:06
  SPEAKER_03: But then again, I mean, I want to just say this is where education comes in because the more you tell consumers why, and like, why is this working and how is it working and why is it superior to this?
• 22:19
  SPEAKER_03: You know, like you're, I don't know, it's just a whole different idea of like giving someone confidence.
• 22:25
  SPEAKER_03: I think it's like the more you know, the more confidence.
• 22:27
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and I agree with you.
• 22:29
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, you know, this the consumer today, they have a lot of questions.
• 22:33
  SPEAKER_02: They they want to know what's inside the product, how did you make the product, like the why behind it, and and you know, uh it is it, is it vegan?
• 22:44
  SPEAKER_02: Is it tested on animals?
• 22:46
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, you know, is is what's your sustainability plan?
• 22:50
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, there's there's all of these great things that now consumers are calling out and and and they want transparency, and it's up to the the you know the founders to want to give that.
• 23:03
  SPEAKER_02: And um, I mean, I definitely want to, and and sometimes it's it's hard because you're just reading what you're reading uh on on reviews or or you know on a website or or what like maybe a beauty advisor is telling you.
• 23:19
  SPEAKER_02: So, you know, I I encourage consumers to dig and get to the bottom of what they're using so they feel confident on what they're putting on their face, putting it into their body, you know, it you that's yours, that's what God gave you.
• 23:34
  SPEAKER_02: You have once, you know, one set of eyes, one set of brows, you know, that's it.
• 23:39
  SPEAKER_02: You you know, this is your face, and um you have to look at it and and and you have you know, it you really need to treat your whole body well.
• 23:48
  SPEAKER_02: Not that I do that all the time, not after Thanksgiving, that's for sure.
• 23:53
  SPEAKER_03: No, I mean, you're no, you make some great points.
• 23:56
  SPEAKER_03: And I think as women in general, we get so caught up in such a busy lifestyle that it's like, you know, um I can tell you, you know, especially as a woman of color, we'll end up making sacrifices and even the aspects of life that gave us true joy, you know.
• 24:11
  SPEAKER_03: And I think for a lot of women, the the you know, routine of putting on your your makeup in the morning before you go to work or before you start your day, that's a it's a very sacred thing, you know.
• 24:21
  SPEAKER_03: It's a very uh special time in your day where you get to look at yourself and you have a fresh face of makeup on and it makes you feel something, right?
• 24:30
  SPEAKER_03: It gives you something to start a day with.
• 24:33
  SPEAKER_03: So if you are given options where you can do that no matter what day it is, no matter if you wake up on a good day or a bad day, it's something you can rely on.
• 24:42
  SPEAKER_03: That's where I get stuck because you know, call me all mushy gushy and whatever, but I really do believe in this, you know, psychology and psychiatry aspect of beauty.
• 24:51
  SPEAKER_03: I really do.
• 24:52
  SPEAKER_03: I think it's you know, we're like it's something that everyone's contributing to, and we're not piecing together like how it's working.
• 24:59
  SPEAKER_03: Because let me be honest with you, you know, so I've suffered from depression and anxiety in my life.
• 25:04
  SPEAKER_03: I've known many people who've also gone through that, and they I've seen my friends who've used a mascara and it's made them pop.
• 25:13
  SPEAKER_03: And they that day was better for them, you know, even though they have something that's like major depressive disorder, you know what I'm saying?
• 25:20
  SPEAKER_03: So it's like it matters, it really matters.
• 25:22
  SPEAKER_02: The psychology matters, a compliment um goes a long way, and you know, just looking in the mirror and feeling better about yourself.
• 25:32
  SPEAKER_02: So I'm I'm encouraging everyone who's listening today that if you can give someone a compliment on a daily basis, I I I really think that you're making this world a better place.
• 25:43
  SPEAKER_02: And I really try to do that.
• 25:45
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, I don't know, I notice a lot of positive things about people, and I'm always calling it out because it makes them feel good, and it's like if I'm noticing something positive, you're gonna hear it.
• 25:58
  SPEAKER_02: So don't hold that.
• 26:00
  SPEAKER_03: Exactly.
• 26:01
  SPEAKER_03: I completely completely agree with you.
• 26:04
  SPEAKER_03: So another one I want to talk on this product as well, because again, you know, there are certain things that I'm uh pretty I'm a master at at this point because I've tried so many products um for those reasons.
• 26:15
  SPEAKER_03: And what and that product is your um grande lips hydrating lip plumper.
• 26:20
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, again, with the colors, Alicia, it's like where like what sorcery place for you to make the perfect nudes for like literally like Middle Eastern tone skin or like deeper skin, because I'm telling you, these colors are so beautiful, you know what I mean?
• 26:40
  SPEAKER_02: So I I'm just um yeah, I you know, nudes as as you said, even though I'm wearing a red lip today because I'm getting kind of into the holiday spirit, but and I have my nail polish red, so I like the matchy matchy thing.
• 26:53
  SPEAKER_02: What can I say?
• 26:53
  SPEAKER_02: But anyway, but the nudes, um, as you were saying before, that what really is in style, and this is how you're looking for that perfect nude, you know, a lot of the customers of let's say like a Sephora Alta, um, they that that's the type of color scheme that they're looking for.
• 27:14
  SPEAKER_02: It's just on trend.
• 27:15
  SPEAKER_02: So I and and I don't think it's ever really gonna go away.
• 27:19
  SPEAKER_02: Also, where I came up with these is I I also worked with um the estheticians and and you know the people in the spa because they sell my product as well.
• 27:31
  SPEAKER_02: And they, you know, when you go into a spa and you get a facial or whatever treatments you're getting, you you know, you want you're you're going out and you don't have a lot of color on your face because you you had all your makeup off.
• 27:46
  SPEAKER_02: But like these nude uh lip clumpers really they work well in a spa atmosphere because they are just like that little pop of color that okay, you just got a facial and now you're walking out, but you want to look alive, um, even though facial's good for glowing.
• 28:07
  SPEAKER_02: But you know, you want a little color in your face, and what's better than just a little touch of a nude lip plumper, uh, really, it really makes it so you feel like, okay, I can go and do some things that I need to do without going to put makeup on, you know, full face.
• 28:24
  SPEAKER_03: Uh well, that's that's the thing.
• 28:25
  SPEAKER_03: It's it's like also like what makeup and how much of it, you know what I mean?
• 28:29
  SPEAKER_03: And it's like that's that's really also comes back to the color theory that you've utilized in these other products, other than the mascara line, you know, because um, you know, I think if you can find like, you know, they always say, at least I grew up learning that if you find if you can find a brand that can make your perfect nude, you're most likely gonna find a lot more products that they make that are really, really, you know what I mean?
• 28:50
  SPEAKER_03: They vibe with your overall look that you're going for.
• 28:53
  SPEAKER_03: And I think for me, um, what's really interesting, especially about nude lipsticks, is that there's no such thing as a universal nude lipstick.
• 29:01
  SPEAKER_03: Like for me, the spicy mauve color in that uh the gunny lips hydrating lip plumper, that's my nude, believe it or not.
• 29:09
  SPEAKER_02: That is that is that's funny.
• 29:11
  SPEAKER_02: You're you're calling out all our number ones and and the spicy mauve definitely is the number one.
• 29:17
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, I remember when I first got into fora in 2016 and they took the clear, um, and then I started making the nudes, but they uh they they really also led me to understanding how popular mauve were.
• 29:34
  SPEAKER_02: And and I mean, there I don't think that that has changed in the last five years that that people just really feel like a mob lip goes with almost anything that you're wearing.
• 29:46
  SPEAKER_02: It's like it's it's not fighting.
• 29:49
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, maybe unless if you're wearing orange, okay, well, or yellow, but I don't, you know, maybe, maybe yellow, maybe.
• 29:56
  SPEAKER_02: But I mean, it it's it's it's um it just doesn't fight a lot of colors, right?
• 30:01
  SPEAKER_02: You know, and it's just it gives you that that nice nude, plump look.
• 30:06
  SPEAKER_02: You know, it's it's it's glossy but not sticky.
• 30:09
  SPEAKER_02: So um just a little backstory on granny lips.
• 30:13
  SPEAKER_02: Uh so it it has a click so the audience can know it has a clicker.
• 30:19
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I love it.
• 30:20
  SPEAKER_03: It's it's a clicker, it's like a pen.
• 30:22
  SPEAKER_03: Yep, exactly.
• 30:23
  SPEAKER_03: It's like at the bottom, you know what it reminds me of is the YSL.
• 30:27
  SPEAKER_03: Remember their under-eye concealer, like the radiance concealer?
• 30:31
  SPEAKER_03: Yep, and yes, push cloud, and it was uh the most awesome packaging.
• 30:37
  SPEAKER_03: I love that, and that's you're right.
• 30:38
  SPEAKER_03: That's exactly what I'm saying.
• 30:41
  SPEAKER_02: Obsessed, completely obsessed.
• 30:42
  SPEAKER_02: And I think they inspired me for sure.
• 30:45
  SPEAKER_02: So I have a lot of that brush gold, you know, that high-end looking um you know packaging.
• 30:51
  SPEAKER_02: But why do we have it in the click pen?
• 30:53
  SPEAKER_02: And some people have like completely questioned that, and uh what so it it keeps the product fresh, right?
• 31:01
  SPEAKER_02: So when you're yes, yeah, and not only that, but we have a silicone applicator, so it's sanitary.
• 31:09
  SPEAKER_02: So when you're putting your spicy mauve over your lipstick, that might be, you know, maybe it's a more of a not a nude, maybe it's a berry color, and then you put your spicy mauve on top of it to get that plump, juicy look.
• 31:26
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, when you're wearing maybe like potentially uh another color, maybe it's the pink and you still want to put your mauve over it, you're not transferring colors because you can wipe off the silicone applicator.
• 31:40
  SPEAKER_02: So it makes it more sanitary because the stove foot applicator, like our normal, you know, normal applicators that you see with the wand and the cotton on top.
• 31:49
  SPEAKER_02: It's also like when you take it out, you're opening up, first of all, the air gets into it.
• 31:54
  SPEAKER_02: So ingredients can become the you know, this degradation that happens with ingredients, so it keeps it um by keeping it in the click pan, it keeps the ingredients stable.
• 32:06
  SPEAKER_03: Um the color doesn't change, right?
• 32:08
  SPEAKER_03: Because there's a lot of lips, like they'll change like mauve, especially is a very hard color.
• 32:13
  SPEAKER_03: And I don't think people realize that because for me, mauve is my perfect shade of blush lipstick, like I just mentioned, you know, even eyeshadow, like no joke, like that color for me, when it comes to like making my features stand out and they're all dark features, that color really works.
• 32:30
  SPEAKER_03: And to keep it like um, you know, I I'll give you an example.
• 32:33
  SPEAKER_03: There's a brand, um, Catwan D ups.
• 32:35
  SPEAKER_03: I love Catwan D.
• 32:36
  SPEAKER_03: I always love and um her.
• 32:39
  SPEAKER_02: She has good stuff, yeah.
• 32:41
  SPEAKER_03: My first ever lipstick that I found what that was like really, really made me feel genuinely beautiful and comfortable in my own skin because I never liked poppy colors on my lips, right?
• 32:53
  SPEAKER_03: I I wanted that nude.
• 32:55
  SPEAKER_03: Her lipstick was named Lolita.
• 32:58
  SPEAKER_03: And Lolita, yeah, to this day, to this day, that color is the perfect color.
• 33:04
  SPEAKER_03: It's like it just worked, you know what I mean?
• 33:07
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I love that name too, Lolita.
• 33:09
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, but I mean that's what your that's what your color reminded me of.
• 33:12
  SPEAKER_03: That's why I brought that up, you know, that mauve color.
• 33:15
  SPEAKER_02: Well, from from from you know, I I need to get it's funny because the distribution of those nudes, they go in and out of stores sometimes.
• 33:24
  SPEAKER_02: And um sometimes it's hard to compete with some of the bigger players for my lip plumpers, you know, uh on the market.
• 33:33
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but I we have great reviews.
• 33:36
  SPEAKER_02: We have like on Sephora, there's over like 1500 reviews on on Grande Lips.
• 33:41
  SPEAKER_02: So I keep, you know, saying, let's put more colors in.
• 33:44
  SPEAKER_02: Let's and then when I walk into the Sephora stores, they're like the beauty advisors, where are all the colors?
• 33:51
  SPEAKER_02: Where are all the colors?
• 33:52
  SPEAKER_02: You know, because they love they love it, but um Grande Lash kind of and granite brow because it's they're such heroes, they kind of take over the brand.
• 34:02
  SPEAKER_02: So sometimes people can't see past those two products.
• 34:07
  SPEAKER_03: Um yeah, and and also like I just want to also mention that like although you've come out with a lot of products and they're you know all so lovely, I do want to say that you know, um, there is an aspect that comes with um beauty that really will adapt and work, work.
• 34:24
  SPEAKER_03: At the end of the day, it's gonna work.
• 34:26
  SPEAKER_03: And that concept, it doesn't have to imply that a brand has 75 shades.
• 34:32
  SPEAKER_03: It doesn't have to mean that.
• 34:34
  SPEAKER_03: It needs to mean that the five shades that brand created were really thoughtful.
• 34:39
  SPEAKER_03: And if you can use those colors, you know what I mean?
• 34:42
  SPEAKER_03: Like that's where that's where it gets very tricky for the beauty industry because it's well, because yeah, the the retailers are always expecting newness, newness, but you know, I think sometimes instead of always worrying about newness, it's like take what you have, market it better, educate more, and really work on that plan.
• 35:04
  SPEAKER_02: Um, because you you like you said, you put so much thought into the nude collection of granny lips.
• 35:10
  SPEAKER_02: Like, I'm not gonna let it, I don't need to make yet another thing that's just like the latest and greatest um or or on trend.
• 35:20
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I'd rather go back to what why I made that, why it's better, why it's different, and why I need to sometimes really put more energy into marketing some of the other products that I have.
• 35:35
  SPEAKER_03: That's that's also something I think is very, very intelligent business-wise, because honestly, I'm gonna tell you, you know, I remember in college there was one blush I liked, it was by Bucksum, and it ended up going out.
• 35:47
  SPEAKER_03: You know, they got rid of it.
• 35:48
  SPEAKER_03: That was the only blush I'm not joking that I use.
• 35:51
  SPEAKER_03: I still have it just to have it for keepsake, but like seriously, it made me, you know what I mean?
• 35:56
  SPEAKER_03: It was just one of those products.
• 35:57
  SPEAKER_03: It worked really well for me.
• 35:58
  SPEAKER_03: And I never it took me years to find that same color again.
• 36:02
  SPEAKER_03: And so I would rather have seen a brand come out with five colors that are steady and they are steadily vibing with consumers year after year after year, and not see them go out of, you know what I mean, like uh inventory, because at the end of the day, there's a lot of women at that point that rely on that color.
• 36:19
  SPEAKER_03: That's their go-to color.
• 36:21
  SPEAKER_03: You know, yeah.
• 36:23
  SPEAKER_03: You you're creating a whole different problem, right?
• 36:26
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 36:27
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, no, I know.
• 36:28
  SPEAKER_02: And and you know, being that I was in more just granny lash, granny brow, the clear lip plumpers, those are my like core and even granted hair, they're more serum-based.
• 36:39
  SPEAKER_02: And then when we got into color, um, it is harder to read.
• 36:44
  SPEAKER_02: You really have to stay on top of you know, what consumers want, what they don't want.
• 36:50
  SPEAKER_02: And then when you retire things, it's like, you know, it's a big thought you have to put into it.
• 36:58
  SPEAKER_02: And it's it's just something that you really need to know.
• 37:02
  SPEAKER_02: And when I first got into color, I thought, oh, let me make more.
• 37:07
  SPEAKER_02: I made like these matte plumping lipsticks um that did plump, they were matte, but you know, it just I made 12 colors and it it just wasn't working out.
• 37:19
  SPEAKER_02: So I I agree with you, like a stronger, smaller selection for especially like a brand like me is is just it it makes a lot more sense.
• 37:30
  SPEAKER_03: It does, it really does.
• 37:31
  SPEAKER_03: And I really, you know, going back to that applicator, I think it's there's a lot of thought that went behind it.
• 37:36
  SPEAKER_03: I actually just published, because you know, we do this little series, it's called the science of skin.
• 37:40
  SPEAKER_03: And I my most recent um episode, I was talking about the hygiene, like skincare hygiene, right?
• 37:46
  SPEAKER_03: And in that episode, I was talking more about, you know, like not the same thing that we're really discussing, but I was talking about people who put, you know, those applicators of serums, they'll put them directly on their skin, and then they'll put them back in the back.
• 37:58
  SPEAKER_03: And I was going into science of that and I was trying to explain to people, I'm like, listen, it matters the practices that you use.
• 38:04
  SPEAKER_03: So when you were talking about the applicator for the lip plumper, the lip plumper yeah, that it brought me back to that because it's like one, it's an air-sealed compartment in which your lipstick is stored, which is wonderful because every time you push it up, you know that what's there is not it hasn't been exposed to anything else.
• 38:22
  SPEAKER_03: Right.
• 38:22
  SPEAKER_02: So these things get exposed to the to the air, it they're really the efficacy a lot of times is not, you know, it it the degradation happens.
• 38:31
  SPEAKER_02: And yeah, so it is you got to be really careful with that.
• 38:35
  SPEAKER_02: And I that's why like even we just launched um, which I don't normally do, like quote unquote skincare.
• 38:44
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, and then we launched, if you look on my website under skin, where the pop and glow, it it's Grande Revive brightening eye cream with wrinkle defense, and it's in a twist pen and it has a brush applicator.
• 39:01
  SPEAKER_02: So you can, you know, like you can even put this in your pocketbook and run around and just like if you're getting dryness under your eye, you don't have to touch with your fingers, like you're talking about being sanitary.
• 39:15
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, have we not been through the whole sanitary COVID?
• 39:19
  SPEAKER_02: And, you know, uh that was a reason why I thought about this packaging because they keep saying, Don't touch your face, don't touch your face.
• 39:27
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 39:27
  SPEAKER_02: With your right, so so this applicator goes right on under your your eye and it could go above.
• 39:35
  SPEAKER_02: And it's almost like you we were talking about touched clot with the brush.
• 39:39
  SPEAKER_02: It's it it it it almost looks like that.
• 39:41
  SPEAKER_03: I don't know if you could see it, but I mean, and no, I can, and I and I think this is a really I also wanted to say this because here's the thing on TikTok, the I mean that it's been going on as a trend, but like you know how they're people talk about like your eye area is very sensitive and you don't want to be rocked, you don't want to be rubbing it and all that.
• 39:59
  SPEAKER_03: And they even went as far as to figure out which finger you should be using to tap in your eye cream.
• 40:05
  SPEAKER_03: And I I can't tell you how ridiculous that is, first of all.
• 40:07
  SPEAKER_03: But like that also takes away that also like your product like this also takes away all this excessive banter about the most minute and made up things, you know what I mean?
• 40:18
  SPEAKER_03: That become trends.
• 40:19
  SPEAKER_03: Like it's like because you're you're just giving people an option that works off the bat.
• 40:24
  SPEAKER_03: So they don't have to go to that next step of being like, well, which finger should I apply this eye cream in the comfort jar?
• 40:32
  SPEAKER_03: You know what I mean?
• 40:32
  SPEAKER_03: Like which finger do they say enough cream?
• 40:36
  SPEAKER_01: Or did they say my pinky?
• 40:38
  SPEAKER_01: Uh yeah, like, oh, what am I making for dinner to, you know, tomorrow?
• 40:42
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, like, how many things do we need to think about, right?
• 40:45
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, uh, yeah, it's like your makeup should not be this deep.
• 40:49
  SPEAKER_03: Like, you know what I mean?
• 40:50
  SPEAKER_03: You're gonna wait, you're gonna deal with real life stuff all day.
• 40:53
  SPEAKER_03: Your makeup doesn't, it should just be something that you can trust.
• 40:56
  SPEAKER_03: And, you know, and going back to the point that I I really love to talk to founders about is that connection between the consumer and the brand, you know, and I would love to get your take on that and maybe some things that you've had to implement, you know, over the years as you've been developing the brand, like in terms of being very connected with your consumers and making sure that you're meeting the needs that they're, you know, kind of voicing.
• 41:20
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, yes.
• 41:21
  SPEAKER_02: So I mean, in my book, the consumer is always right.
• 41:25
  SPEAKER_02: And, you know, I I I grew up that way.
• 41:27
  SPEAKER_02: Um, I'm not, I'm if someone says they're not happy with something, you know, send it back, send it back.
• 41:35
  SPEAKER_02: We have a 90-day money-back guarantee.
• 41:37
  SPEAKER_02: I don't want to hold anyone to something that they say is not working for them, but we we they that's exercise so infrequently um that it's really a non-issue.
• 41:49
  SPEAKER_02: And I don't even have to promote it, you know, that much.
• 41:52
  SPEAKER_02: But how do I stay connected with my consumers?
• 41:54
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, that's a really good question.
• 41:57
  SPEAKER_02: I I mean we we we do a lot of communication digitally, we do, we do videos and we do, you know, uh Instagram lives and et cetera.
• 42:07
  SPEAKER_02: But you know, it it it is it is hard to really stay uh connected.
• 42:12
  SPEAKER_02: Uh this however like this Thursday night, I'm doing um with some of the uh really VIP ambassadors for Grande, where these are all real Grande users, we're doing some like virtual cocktail hour where I showed them how to make this watermelon drink.
• 42:31
  SPEAKER_02: So that'll be fun.
• 42:33
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but yeah, so it I wish I could have more fun with people and and really stay connected.
• 42:39
  SPEAKER_02: So if you have any really good ideas, I I I'd love to hear it, but I love people and um I used to get to see the people all the time at the trade shows and and do a lot of face-to-face selling and hugging and hello.
• 42:55
  SPEAKER_03: And I think that was um it reminds me of um what was that company?
• 43:01
  SPEAKER_03: Um Avon.
• 43:02
  SPEAKER_03: I made I really I really value the culture that Avon created, and I think there was something very special about it.
• 43:10
  SPEAKER_03: And I'm not kidding, Alicia.
• 43:11
  SPEAKER_03: I you will not believe it.
• 43:12
  SPEAKER_03: When I first started Swink Care Anarchy, um, our first ever feature, they asked us, like, you know, what what did you really want?
• 43:19
  SPEAKER_03: Why did you make it only audio, right?
• 43:21
  SPEAKER_03: And literally I said, makeup and talking about makeup and talking about like beauty products should feel like you're talking to your favorite girlfriend, you know, in high school or college and you're sharing this amazing thing you found, and it should be fun, like you said, you know, so it's very yeah, yeah, I agree with you.
• 43:38
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, no, it it definitely um it should be fun, but I think it's staying connected is is is definitely you know a challenge.
• 43:50
  SPEAKER_02: Um, we're doing a lot of good things at Grande where we're trying to connect from a philanthropy standpoint of view uh with uh an organization called Grande for I mean it's called Working for Women and we we did a we're calling our campaign Grande for Women and on this Thursday I'm going out like it's 45 minutes uh up the way up the line in New York upstate and we're going to a place called Unshattered where this is women who you know either they have been like homeless or they they um got out of prison or they're you know looking for job skills and we're we're gonna be working with them with our team and trying to help mentor them and motivate them.
• 44:39
  SPEAKER_02: But um we this company uh who is the backbone of this philanthropy organization working for women I do want to talk about it because we committed to raise$200,000 to them and why do we do that is because I first wanted to give like grants to women who want to go to college don't have the money to go to college because I went to community college and then I was able to go to a four year degree and get my degree in in business.
• 45:14
  SPEAKER_02: But if I never went to community college I would have never have even gone to that next level to finish my business degree right and I I wanted to I wanted to give you know college grants out but then I realized how hard it was to actually qualify people and stay on top of it.
• 45:34
  SPEAKER_02: So this organization working for women is like national in the US and they work with approximately 16 organizations all throughout the United States that help marginalized women um you know get back into the work workforce uh they they help them with clothes they help them with what do they need to be healthy for them and their families all these type of things so I'm so excited to be doing this and I I really hope that I'm staying in touch with my consumers as you brought up before and stay connected in that they're seeing our messaging on this because um them buying from me is going back to working for women.
• 46:22
  SPEAKER_02: So 4% of our sales is going back to working for women when they buy on grantecosmetics.com and so far we cut them a check for$100,000.
• 46:33
  SPEAKER_02: So we're waiting to you know reach the$200,000 goal.
• 46:37
  SPEAKER_03: So I'm really really happy there congratulations wow what a cause I love yeah no I I'm I'm really um you know that that's the that's a very very meaningful and um hands-on and direct approach to helping women I think you know like it reminds me of you know I think that story kind of went uh viral a couple of years ago where they were talking about how the a woman had seen a man on the street who was homeless, right?
• 47:03
  SPEAKER_03: And she told him, I'm not gonna give you cash but I'll give you my credit card.
• 47:07
  SPEAKER_03: And he went into a store and he bought like self-hyging products, right?
• 47:11
  SPEAKER_03: Like just to clean up and just be able to go get a job interview.
• 47:14
  SPEAKER_03: Well he ended up getting a job he ended up paying finding her paying her back and saying thank you because all I needed was somebody to like you know what I mean just help me just get back to normal.
• 47:25
  SPEAKER_03: You know what I mean?
• 47:26
  SPEAKER_03: Feel normal.
• 47:27
  SPEAKER_03: And so yeah like I think that's a beautiful cause.
• 47:30
  SPEAKER_03: I love that you're doing that.
• 47:31
  SPEAKER_03: I think you know definitely your company it comes across that you've done all of this and all the products you've created are from the heart.
• 47:39
  SPEAKER_03: You know so thank you.
• 47:41
  SPEAKER_02: That really does mean a lot to me and you know I mean that's that's another reason why like my prices are very reasonable compared to some of my competitors that you know are double what I charge or even triple you know and and and why it's because I'm not like I'm not here just to make a buck.
• 48:02
  SPEAKER_02: I mean I'm in this for the long haul I care about my clients I want everyone to be able to reach their full potential with their lashes and their brows and and and have a product that's at least affordable to do it and and and have the studies backing it up with the efficacy.
• 48:20
  SPEAKER_02: So that really is you know it's important.
• 48:24
  SPEAKER_02: And I I didn't come from a lot of money so it's like although now I do have money so it's weird to me but it's like a bit of a number in the bank for me you know unless I'm really yeah I know I know exactly where you're going.
• 48:38
  SPEAKER_03: That's all we had to say.
• 48:39
  SPEAKER_03: Yep it's a number in the bank it meets the needs you know what I mean but it doesn't impact your morals and your ethics and what you actually you know it it's not impacting why you're doing what you're doing.
• 48:50
  SPEAKER_02: It's it's it's yeah yeah I and I really hope I I really I don't want to ever change because you know it's not where I came from and and I want to the money that I make I really want to make sure that I'm not just giving it to my two sons so they could you know have the best life and not worry about really you know working too hard.
• 49:12
  SPEAKER_02: I'd rather really make a difference in not that my sons aren't ambitious.
• 49:17
  SPEAKER_02: I mean they're going to college and all but you know no one gave me a lot and and and I was able to hustle so I don't want to overgive to to to my sons either you know I want I'd rather take a lot of what I make and and give it to people in need you know they might not want to hear that but it's true.
• 49:40
  SPEAKER_03: No I love that I love it.
• 49:41
  SPEAKER_03: I love how genuine you are and you know I think that's really the biggest idea here is that they're you know you you'll be able to I think consumers my biggest message is always like listen you're smart okay and you're gonna be able to tell when someone's BSing you and throwing you marketing versus somebody who's really trying to tell you a story you know and to tell you something that is going to resonate with you.
• 50:04
  SPEAKER_03: There's a huge difference and I think you know that's really why it's really important to understand a founder founder story and to understand their vision because that's what's going to make you find the things that make uplift your day and that you know what I mean that connect to that person.
• 50:21
  SPEAKER_03: So yeah I I I just think that you know we we need to be a little bit more conscious like I know I've said before on podcast you have to vote with your dollars and I really mean that you do you have to show brands that are doing things right that they're doing it right.
• 50:35
  SPEAKER_03: You know what I mean?
• 50:36
  SPEAKER_03: Don't just go after that for packaging.
• 50:38
  SPEAKER_03: You know what I mean?
• 50:39
  SPEAKER_03: Don't do that.
• 50:40
  SPEAKER_02: Yes yes even though we we do try to have pretty packaging you know you do you do no yeah and I I don't think that's no I I know what you're saying.
• 50:49
  SPEAKER_02: I mean I but I think that's where consumers are going now.
• 50:54
  SPEAKER_02: I think that they are really caring about the company's social causes and and what they're doing socially and also their responsibility for the environment as well.
• 51:09
  SPEAKER_02: So um I'm really happy to hear this because again you have one body one earth um and and it's important that we all treat ourselves well and we treat Mother Nature well too.
• 51:24
  SPEAKER_02: So that's that's gonna be my next move and my son goes to uh George Washington University and he's studying political science and he's very involved with you know the environment and this is a big passion for him.
• 51:40
  SPEAKER_03: So I want to help support him on supporting quases and making a difference right but yeah yeah well you know they you're definitely setting an example and that's you know that's the best I think parents can do right I mean it's just setting an example and I think if you you know just do things with ethics everyone listening if you're a new entrepreneur if you're somebody who's you know starting off just make sure you stay true to yourself and you stay true to your vision because people will see that and that's what's going to end up really resonating and working for you.
• 52:14
  SPEAKER_03: No, you know we don't need another um you know 18 different colors of the same thing.
• 52:19
  SPEAKER_03: We don't need that.
• 52:20
  SPEAKER_03: We don't you know what I mean we need to fill the real white space like you know fill the white space and to fill the white space you have to do your homework and you have to think why do you want to be an entrepreneur?
• 52:31
  SPEAKER_03: Why do you want to create the product you want to create and is it really going to help people?
• 52:35
  SPEAKER_03: You know and so it's like I was like I and I'm saying this because I got my MBA during a time where everybody was jumping on the MBA wet uh bandwagon and I was like sitting there and I'm like you know it's just like another it's gonna become this other stamp of just well I'm an MBA you know look at me I know all about business and what makes a good product but it's not it's not you know it doesn't matter what potential I yeah I mean I don't only hire people on their pedigree um I I really hire it's usually women I'm I have to say um I don't work as well with men although I have one guy who does video here out of 50.
• 53:16
  SPEAKER_02: But um I it's it's like a connection and I need to understand that they really have passion for beauty, right?
• 53:25
  SPEAKER_02: So um anyone who works at Grande, not that they have to be like oh I'm so obsessed with beauty but they have to care about women and and and on beauty on some level because it's it really it really helps um grow the company and it helps us all collaborate together.
• 53:48
  SPEAKER_03: I mean I love my team I I have so many young women who start right out of college their first job and and they stay here I mean we keep people here because we keep them happy and you're a good boss thank you thank you and I love them they're like my children I don't have any girls so these are my girls you know I love them I love that I love that and well you know Alicia I just want to say you're doing amazing work your brand is phenomenal like I've already said a million times and I really meant every single thing I said I love what you're doing and I love how passionate you are for it and how you are really doing things for other people from the get-go.
• 54:31
  SPEAKER_03: You know a brand doesn't need to be a multi-billion dollar brand before they start doing real work like not charity work but real ground like you know I mean like on the ground uh you know work that's impacting lives every day you know what I mean so that's making a difference yeah you don't need a difference you don't need to donate$200,000.
• 54:51
  SPEAKER_02: I mean when I first started 13 years ago year one I made this like women's makeover day and I had no money but I I I I I went all around to the salons around the area and I had them do go to uh there's like a homeless shelter for women battered women in Westchester and they I I had them get makeovers you know because it's just it's like it's uplifting and and you want to really give back to your community.
• 55:23
  SPEAKER_02: So if you're listening like don't think I don't have the money I can't make a difference no think out of the box about how you can make a difference and like it really is going to change your life when you change other people's lives.
• 55:38
  SPEAKER_03: So I agree yeah I completely agree.
• 55:41
  SPEAKER_03: Well Alicia I want to thank you so much.
• 55:44
  SPEAKER_03: Again everybody definitely definitely go right now check out grandecosmetics.com shop their all of their stuff obviously we talked about mascaras we know that's a standout uh line of product so really um you know check them out but I'm telling you everything is really great I really mean that so go check out those blushes go check out those lip bumpers you know go go do some digging with those nudes it's really really great stuff so thank you Alicia and everyone with my pleasure all right all right thank you so much I really appreciate you having hey guys so I hope you love that episode please make sure to hit subscribe if you're tuning in to us on any podcast platform we are available on so many different platforms so wherever it is that you're tuning in just go hit subscribe you will be immediately notified when we publish new episodes this way you're able to tune in to amazing insights from experts brand founders industry leaders authors all the wonderful people that we host and that's very important for me because I love to hear from you guys and really understand what you love and what you want to hear more of.
• 56:51
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• 57:05
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• 57:15
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• 57:21
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• 57:26
  SPEAKER_03: Thank you.